My Top 5 Favorite Disney Movies

The movies that made me love Disney like I do today.
On
April 07, 2014
As you can tell, I'm a huge Disney fanatic. I love the movies, I love the theme parks, I even own the company's stock. The only thing I don't like from Disney is its TV network division (which I mentioned in my first article), but it's the movies that made me the Disney fanatic I am today. In fact, I've been a member of the company's D23 fan club since 2011, and hopefully I'll be able to renew my membership soon. Here are the movies that I hold close to my memories, and the ones I think have withstood the test of time the most.


5. 101 Dalmatians (1961)
This was the very first movie I ever watched on VHS, and as a whole. This film also has two milestones of its own. It was not only the first film to use the Xerography animation process, but also one of the last films to be produced by Walt Disney himself when he was still alive. I remember this being one of the first gifts I ever got for Easter, and I fell instantly in love with it. It's still very dear to my heart, and hopefully it's released digitally some time soon, because I want to relive the memories this film gave me.


4. Aladdin (1992)
This is the fourth film that was released during the period known as the Disney Renaissance, a time when the Disney animation studio returned to making successful movies that were hits with critics and audiences alike. If DreamWorks Animation (a studio I personally am not a fan of) has someone to thank for their specialty on pop culture references and satire, it's Aladdin and the fact that Robin Williams was in the movie is also a huge influence on DreamWorks.


3. The Lion King (1994)
This was not only the first Disney movie I ever saw in theatres, it was the first time I ever saw a movie at the movie theatre. Not only that, but at the time it was the highest grossing Disney animated movie of all time, until that record was beaten by Frozen in 2013. A lot of Disney traditionalists might think that this is the most overrated installment in the Disney canon (depending on the person, correct me if I'm wrong), but there's no denying its impact on film history, not to mention this is also a big piece of 90's nostalgia.

2. Pinocchio (1940)
This is the second animated feature film produced by Walt Disney himself. Disney was wanting to make animation a very serious art form rather than the kiddie fare it's still believed to be, and this film is a great example of animation appealing to all ages. It shows here, because there are some scary moments in this film, especially scenes where bad kids turn into donkeys ("What do you think I look like? A jackass?"). Unfortunately, Pinocchio was a huge flop when it was released, but today is considered a Disney classic.


And now, my #1 favorite Disney movie is...
(drum roll please)


1. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
The one that started it all!!! Mickey Mouse was in his prime, Hollywood was poppin', and the glamor and elegance of movies and movie stars were in a golden age. However, nobody expected to be what Walt's wife Lillian called "Disney's Folly", saying nobody will ever watch a full-length cartoon. Boy was Lillian proven wrong, because it became a box-office success and was critically praised at the time of its release. If it weren't for this film, the Disney Renaissance wouldn't have happened, Disney wouldn't be the gigantic media empire it is now, and there would definitely be no Pixar.

And that's the list of my top 5 favorite Disney movies. These are the kinds of films that made me the Disney fan I am today. I also forgot to add that their most recent film, Frozen, is now the highest grossing animated film of all time, not just for Disney, but for the entire film industry. As a result, Disney's shares are now $81 each, but I digress. So, what are your favorite Disney movies? What impact did those movies make in your life? Sound off below!
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